If you are a small business owner, you know how important it is to have a great website. Your website casts the first impression that prospective customers have of your business, so it is important that it is professional and informative. Luckily, building a great small business website does not have to be difficult or expensive.

Here are some key steps to build a great small business website:

Get a Good Domain Name

The first step for small business owners is to get a good domain name. Your domain name should be something that is easy to remember and brandable. It should also be relevant to your business. If you are unsure of what domain name to choose, you can use a tool like Namecheap’s Domain Name Generator to help you find a good one.

To find a good domain name, you need to consider the following:

• Your business name – If your business name is available as a domain, then that is usually the best option.
• Your target keywords – Try to include some of your target keywords in your domain name.
• Your location – If you are targeting local customers, then you may want to include your city or state in your domain name.
• Your niche -You may want to include your niche in your domain name if it is not immediately clear from your business name.

For example, if you are a plumber in Los Angeles, then a good domain name could be something like “LosAngelesPlumbing.com” or “LAplumbing.com.”

Use a Good Content Management System (CMS)

Once you have your domain name, you need to choose a good content management system (CMS). A CMS is a software application that helps you manage your website content. There are many different CMS options available, but the most popular ones are Joomla, WordPress and Drupal.

When choosing a CMS, you should consider the following:

Ease of Use

You should choose a CMS that is easy for you to use. If you are not very technical, then you will want to go for one that is extremely user-friendly and has a lot of documentation already available.

Features

You should choose a CMS that has all of the features that you need. For example, if you want to sell products on your website, then you will need a CMS that has e-commerce features.

Cost

You should choose a CMS that is affordable for you. Some CMS options are free, while others can be quite expensive.

Once you have chosen a CMS, you will need to install it on your web server. If you are not sure how to do this, your web hosting company should be able to help you.

Create Quality Content

Once you have your domain name and a CMS set up, it is time to start creating content for your website. The key here is to create quality content that is relevant to your target audience. Your content should be well-written and informative and should also be keyword-optimized to help you rank higher in search engines.

Some great types of content to include on your small business website include:

Blog Posts

Blogging is a great way to generate fresh, relevant content for your website. Try to post new blog articles on a regular basis. Not only will you give your customers something useful to read about but it will help them remember your small business and will establish you as a trusted source regarding your niche.

About page

An About page is a great way to give potential customers some background information on your business. Be sure to include your business’s mission statement, history, and contact information.

Testimonials

Don’t forget to include testimonials from satisfied customers on your website. These can help build trust with potential customers.

Products and Services

If you sell products or services, you will need to include their pages on your website. These should include high-quality photos and detailed descriptions of each product. Create a page for each of the services that you offer and make sure to include relevant keywords and descriptions.

Include Calls-to-Action (CTAs)

Throughout your website, you should include calls to action (CTAs) to encourage visitors to take the next step with your small business. For example, you may want to include a CTA to sign up for your newsletter, schedule a consultation, or request a quote.

Choose the Right Web Hosting

You should also consider a good web hosting provider. There are many different web hosting providers out there, so it is important to do some research to find one that will be a good fit for your small business. Some things that you should look for in a web hosting provider include:

• Reliability
• Customer support
• Price
• Scalability

Design Your Website

Once you have your domain name and web hosting set up, it is time to start designing your website. You can either hire a web designer to create a custom website for you, or you can use a platform like WordPress to design it yourself. If you are using WordPress, there are many great themes and plugins available that will help you create a professional-looking website.

Choose an E-commerce Platform

If you plan on selling products or services online, then you will need to choose an eCommerce platform. There are many different eCommerce platforms available, so it is important to do some research to find one that will work well for your small business. Some things that you should look for in an eCommerce platform include:

• Ease of use
• Payment options
• Shipping options
• Customer support

Promote Your Website

After your website is live, you need to start promoting it. There are many ways to promote your website, such as:

SEO (Search Engine Optimization)

SEO is the process of optimizing your website to rank higher in search engines. This can be done by including relevant keywords in your content, and by building backlinks to your website.

PPC (Pay-Per-Click) Advertising

PPC advertising is a form of online advertising where you pay a fee each time someone clicks on one of your ads. This is a great way to get targeted traffic to your website.

Social Media

Social media is a great way to connect with potential and current customers; 4.48 billion people use social media from all around the world. Hence, you need to post engaging content on a regular basis, and be sure to include links to your website.

Do some research to find the best ways to promote your website, and then get started. The more people that see your website, the more likely it is that they will do business with you.

Conclusion

Building a great small business website does not have to be difficult or expensive. By following these steps, you can create a professional and informative website that will help you attract new customers.

If you want to hire web designers, reach out to us.